Help me win a bet, please!

[revolutionary]

If she was recollecting her parents paying for things 30 years ago.... the currency used on US military bases, is the US dollar.

I think maybe I wasn't clear enough on what the debate was about. Our whole argument isn't over whether or not you can use American money on American army bases. My mom and I agreed that you could. Where we disagree is that my mom seems to think they were going elsewhere in foreign countries and using American money. While they may have been able to back then, I tried to tell her that things have changed and you can no longer use American money offbase (in most cases). She just won't listen, though, and discredits anything I say because I've never traveled out of the US.

What I am saying is don't discount her memory just because she's older. In many cases, she probably recollects it now better than she did ealier.

I would agree this was true in most situations The thing is, she spent very little time abroad. She lived in France from the time she was one until the time she was four, so I doubt she recollects that well. Even though she has a few strong memories of France, I'm sure they weren't about using American money all over France. That's not what we think about when we're that little.

[two_heads_talking]

She just won't listen, though, and discredits anything I say because I've never traveled out of the US.
.

I have travelled outside the US on many occassions. And it's sad that she won't listen to you. I know for a fact that the only thing US dollars will do in Japan in 90% of any business, restaurant, store, etc will be to make the owner say. "oooohh, that's weird, is that what US dollars look like?" and then they will proceed to tell you how much in yen the item is you are looking at.

[richvh]

I was stationed in Japan over 25 years ago, and for anything off-base, I had to pay in yen.

I also spent some time in the Philippines on that tour, and while there were more places just outside the Subic Bay gates where you could exchange dollars for pesos than there were in Iwakuni, prices quoted were in pesos.

[Mike Cash]

Your mother's recollection is correct....within certain boundaries that she may not have been aware of.

Some businesses near American bases do (or have in the past) accept(ed) American money. But by no means should that be broadly overgeneralized.

[jimbreen]

G'day Mike,

Long time, no whatever...

I thought the Australian currency was the Kangaruble.

Nah. The hoop snakes got them all.

Cheers

Jim

[jimbreen]

Ok, I see what you're saying, I probably should have read the site more carefully. I've read exchange sites that use a differnt format to show which two currencies they're comparing, but with the names together like that I thought they meant it was one currency. Still, it doesn't change what that Scottish guy told me. I wonder what he meant, then.

You probably had a close encounter with that rarest of beastie, the Scot with a sense of humour.

[jimbreen]

Your mother's recollection is correct....within certain boundaries that she may not have been aware of.

Some businesses near American bases do (or have in the past) accept(ed) American money. But by no means should that be broadly overgeneralized.

Years ago (about 35 of them, to be exact) I was working with Americans on a software project. One of them told the story of a friend who'd been told by his father to take a bundle of US $1 bills with him when he went overseas, because "wherever you go, son, they'll always accept a greenback". The friend did this (people followed their parents' advice back then), and in due course found himself in a taxi in Sydney without enough $As to pay the fare. When he proffered the US currency instead, the driver said: "put that fucking Monopoly money away and pay me my fare, or I'll call the police!"

[chikara]

...... When he proffered the US currency instead, the driver said: "put that @#$%*& Monopoly money away and pay me my fare, or I'll call the police!"

LOL

It does look like play money compared to our colourful notes.

[AJBryant]

It does look like play money compared to our colourful notes.

Ironically, I look at your colorful notes as pretty play coupons, next to our serious, no-nonsense, all-business notes.


Tony

[Harisenbon]

Ironically, I look at your colorful notes as pretty play coupons, next to our serious, no-nonsense, all-business notes.

I used to think that about the old green bills, but on a recent trip back to the states, I was amazed at some of the hideousness that has come out of the new anti-counterfitting measures. What was especially amusing is that I had some of the new ULTRA new 10s, and the cashiers at a couple of places didn't believe me that they were actual money at first.

It made me think that perhaps having so many new bills is actually confusing the general populous, and making counterfitting easier.

[AJBryant]

I keep waiting for the *next* iteration of the 20....

Now there's talk of doing something to make bills distinguishable by the blind, like Japanese bank notes, or possibly make different denominations in different sizes to allow the same effect. Sigh.

Tony

[Wakannai]

I'm actually all for something like that.

[monkeykoder]

Man us Americans can be dumb sometimes (too bad that there are people just as dumb everywhere else).

[revolutionary]

Thanks, everyone... I appreciate all the information and humor. But, the jig is up. You see, I'm afraid that my mother has discovered my elite hacking skills, which I used to create this page out of nowhere, the forum, and all of the user names and replies on it. Basically, you're all just figments of my imagination and I should just stop this vain attempt to prove my mother wrong. I'm a horrible person, and I'm ashamed of myself.

Seriously, I give up on this woman. I really am grateful that you tried to help, though.

[coco]

Less perfect, more free

I found your signature cheers you and your mother up.